CAMPAIGN TO RAISE PUBLIC AWARENESS

TWO MONTH TV, RADIO AND PRINT CAMPAIGN SEEKS TO DISPEL MYTHS ABOUT NEW YORK CITY CHARTER SCHOOLS

(New York, NY) May 2, 2013 –

The New York City Charter School Center hit the airwaves today with a series of TV ads aimed at raising awareness and dispelling myths about public charter schools. The ads will run on cable television for the next eight weeks as well as in print, on the radio on the web and via direct mail. As charters continue to expand into new and varied neighborhoods and demand increases for more high quality school options, the Charter Center wants to ensure that families have all the facts about the options available to them.

“Charter schools are a permanent and expanding part of the education landscape in New York City and it’s important that families have the facts they need to make informed choices when it comes time to enroll their children in school,” said James Merriman, CEO of the New York City Charter School Center. “Through this campaign we can raise awareness and also clear up many of the misperceptions that persist about what charter schools are and the children they serve.”

Polls consistently show that the majority of New Yorkers support public charter schools and expanding educational options, yet it’s clear many New Yorkers still don’t know that charters are public schools that serve all students regardless of their academic need. Five different television ads in English and Spanish take on this issue as well as college readiness and co-location. An initial selection of the ads can be found at http://what.arecharterschools.com.

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About the New York City Charter School Center
The New York City Charter School Center is an independent non-profit committed to fostering an environment in which public charters can open and flourish, and, through their innovative approaches, provide models for improving all public schools. The Charter Center helps new charter schools get started, supports existing schools, and engages the charter school community around key issues.

About NYC's Charter Schools
Charter schools are free, independently run public schools that are able to innovate in their classroom structures, curriculum, and teaching methods. In return, they’re held to higher standards of accountability. More than 90 percent of the City’s charter school students are African-American or Latino, and more than 75 percent are from low-income families. There are currently 159 public charter schools serving students in all five boroughs.